Perch for a ladder



- Dec. 27, 1966 R. J. Kw|ATKowsK| 3,294,197

PERCH FOR A LADDER Filed Sept. 5, 1964 INVENTOR RUDOLPH J. KWIATKOWSKIfl/ United States Patent O "ice 3,294,197 PERCH FOR A LADDER Rudolph J.Kwiatkowski, 816 W. 3rd St., A Erie, Pa. 16507 I Filed Sept. 3,1964,Ser. No. 394,118 2 Claims. (Cl. 182-120)l This invention relates to newand useful improvements in ladder attachments and, more particularly, toa portable safety ladder perch which may be attached on a conventionalladder. Conventional ladders do not provide a satisfactory foot support,especially where prolonged standing is required on a single rung.Perches which were previously provided have had various disadvantages.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedplatform which is easily mounted on a ladder rung and provides a flatfoot supporting surface and is simple in construction, economical tomanufacture, and simple and efficient to use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a safety perch which willnot be released when jarred or pushed out of position. The user mustrelease the perch when it is to be removed.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved safety perch,which may be adapted to different sizes and kinds of ladders.

Another object of the invention is to provide a more substantial perchso that the more pressure exerted on the platform when in use, the morepressure on the side rails of the ladder, whereby it remains in positionduring working conditions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a safety perch which isdurable when put to use.

Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will becomeapparent from a consideration of the following description when taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention in use;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the safety catch mechanism of theinvention.

Now with more particular reference to the drawing, FIG. 1 shows a manstanding on the platform 11 of the perch. The perch has hooks 14 whichare hooked over the rung 31 of ladder 30. The lateral support bar 15 maybe made to a length suitable for accommodating different size ladders.The support bar 15 will rest against the side rails 32 of ladder 30.

The Safety perch platform 11 may be made of steel plate of to 3/32"thick or some other similar material. The unit may be stamped out ofmetal plate in one piece -with two holes 17 and two slots 18 and thenpressed over a die to bend the arms 12 at right angles to the platform11. The top surface 11 will be rectangular in shape with a pair ofdownwardly extending triangular shaped arms 12. The bottom part of thesearms will contain an opening 17 of the size to accommodate or 1/2" pipeapproximately two feet long. After it has been placed in the opening,the pipe will be welded at 29, thus giving additional support to theextending arms 12. The top surface will also have a flange 13 extendingdownwardly which will be welded at 28 where the flange 28 meets with theextending arms 12. The purpose of this fiange 13 is to give additionalstrength to the top platform 11.

The hooks 14 which extend from the top platform will be bent downwardlyand will extend generally parallel to the adjacent edge of arm 12. Thedistal end of hook 14 has a slot 18 therein. The end of the 3294,19 7PatentedDec. 27, 1966 hook is curled upwardly to form an eye and receivethe pin 24. The catch 20 has an upper edge that is curved to conform tothe rung of a ladder. The back part of the catch 20 will have anL-shaped leg 21 which will rest against the back part of the hook whenthe catch is in position in slot 18. A fixed spring 19 will be attachedby screw 22 to the base of the hook and will overlap the lever 25 ofcatch 20 to hold it under tension.

The catch 20 has an arcuate lower side which will conveniently slideover the ladder rung on a ladder during installation of the perch. Theupper side of the catch 20 is convex so that it will underlie the ladderrung and conform generally to the surface of the ladder rung and willtherefore prevent the perch from being removed. The rear side of thecatch 20 has the laterally extending lever 25 which overlies the backsurface of the hook 14 and is supported between the spring 19 and theback surface of the hook 14 and also functions as a handle to move thecatch 20.

The leg 21 moves through the lateral portion 26 of the slot 18 when aladder rung is moved into the space between the arm 12 and the hook 14.The catch 20 is hinged to the pin 24 loosely so that the catch 20 can bemoved laterally and the end moved to overlie the back surface of thehook 14 when the perch is being installed or removed from the ladder sothe catch will not interfere.

The slot 18 will have an L-shaped notch in the uppermost part so thatwhen the catch 20 is pushed back out of the locking position the end 21of the catch will hold the catch for removal from the rung of theladder.

The hooks may be provided with a stiffening rib 16 and also the top ofthe platform near the hooks may have a rib 33.

The top surface of the platform may be coated with a non-slip materialof the grit type to prevent slipping.

This perch is designed so that the person using it may carry it in onehand and place it in position on the ladder With one hand. At it ispushed in, the catch automatically locks itself on the ladder rung andthe pipe will rest against the side rails of the ladder thereby giving alevel platform for the Worker to stand on.

Although the invention has been described with respect to a preferredembodiment thereof, it is to be understood that it is not to be solimited, since changes may be made therein which are within the scope ofthe invention as defined by the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A perch for use on a ladder comprising a platform,

arms attached to said platform and extending therefrom generally atright angles thereto,

a bar,

said bar being fixed to the distal end of said arms,

the ends of said bar extendin'g outwardly a substantial distance beyondthe outer sides of said arms and adapted to overlie the side rails of aladder,

hooks,

said hooks being attached to said platform at spaced positions thereon,

said hooks having a surface adjacent said arms generally parallelthereto and spaced therefrom and adapted to receive a ladder rungtherebet'ween,

a catch swingably attached to said hooks to the distal ends thereof andadapted to swing under said rung to hold said hooks against movementfrom said |ladder,

said platform and arms being made of sheet like material with said armsintegrally attached to said platform,

a -portion of said platform being bent downwardly to a position at rightangles to said platform,tforming a reinforce-ment to said platform,

said catch having a laterally extending lever thereon which overlies therear surfaces of said hooks, w

and a spring ai'fixed to said hooks which engages said lever, urgingsaid catch to a position to overlie a ladder rung.

2. The perch recited in claim 1 wherein said hooks each have a slottherein and said catch i swingably supported on said hook and disposed'in said slots,

said hooks each have a laterally extending leg theresaid slots have alaterally extending portion through which said legs may move said catchbeing movable laterally 'on said hook, whereby said laterally extendingleg may Aoverlie said hook when said catch is moved laterally, wherebysaid catch will be held in a position remote fr'bm said arm of saidpe'rch.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Higgins 182-121 XMiller 1182-122 Hartman 182-120 Maloney 248-238 X Woodward 182-121Tilton 182-120 Roberts 182 120 X REINALDO P. MACHADO, Primary Examiner.

1. A PERCH FOR USE ON A LADDER COMPRISING A PLATFORM, ARMS ATTACHED TOSAID PLATFORM AND EXTENDING THEREFROM GENERALLY AT RIGHT ANGLES THERETO,A BAR, SAID BEING FIXED TO THE DISTAL END OF SAID ARMS, THE ENDS OF SAIDBAR EXTENDING OUTWARDLY A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE BEYOND THE OUTER SIDES OFSAID ARMS AND ADAPTED TO OVERLIE THE SIDE RAILS OF A LADDER, HOOKS, SAIDHOOKS BEING ATTACHED TO SAID PLATFORM AT SPACED POSITIONS THEREON, SAIDHOOKS HAVING A SURFACE ADJACENT SAID ARMS GENERALLY PARALLEL THERETO ANDSPACED THEREFROM AND ADAPTED TO RECIEVE A LADDER RUNG THEREBETWEEN, ACATCH SWINGABLY ATTACHED TO SAID HOOKS TO THE DISTAL END THEREOF ANDADAPTED TO SWING UNDER SAID RUNG TO HOLD SAID HOOKS AGAINST MOVEMENTFROM SAID LADDER, SAID PLATFORM AND ARMS BEING MADE OF SHEET LIKEMATERIAL WITH SAID ARMS INTEGRALLY ATTACHED TO SAID PLATFORM, A PORTIONOF SAID PLATFORM BEING BENT DOWNWARDLY TO A POSITION AT RIGHT ANGLES TOSAID PLATFORM, FORMING REINFORCEMENT TO SAID PLATFORM, SAID CATCH HAVINGA LATERALLY EXTENDING LEVER THEREON WHICH OVERLIES THE REAR SURFACES OFSAID HOOKS, AND A SPRING AFFIXED TO SAID HOOKS WHICH ENGAGES SAID LEVER,URGING SAID CATCH TO A POSITION TO OVERLIE A LADDER RUNG.